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Muslims & Christians

Not the same God!

by Michael Tummillo

(I wrote some of this last year when a Christian lady, married to a Muslim from Morrocco, asked if we weren't worshipping the same God as the Muslims. It's been improved upon considerably in light of recent events.)

There are several translations of the Qur'an available in English, but the most approved of one is Abdullah Yusef 'Ali's translation

I've met many Muslims. Most seem to demand two things of their converts:

  1. You must learn the Qur'an in Arabic.
  2. You must memorize the entire Qur'an.

After that, as if recognizing that I'm a "digger," they would tell me that Arabic is hard to learn, as if trying to dissuade me.  They don't believe the Qur'an needs to be dissected the way I would study a particular topic in the Bible.  It's perfect as is, they believe, and shows lack of faith to try to find "evidence" on which to build their faith.

Let's remember that Ishmael & Isaac were brothers.  It is a Muslim fallacy that Abraham (considered by Muslims to be the first Muslim) performed his near-sacrifice on Ishmael.  In the Bible, of course, it was Isaac.    NOTE: this near-sacrifice was after Ishmael had been cast out of the family.

The Bible clearly states that the world is to be blessed thru Isaac's line (Jews), not Ishmael's line (Arabs).

Also, the Muslims say that the passage in the Torah that says Israel will receive another prophet like Moses to lead them is Muhammad.  The Jews have always interpreted this to mean Joshua, son of Nun. Christians have broadened it to mean Yeshua (Joshua, Jesus), the Messiah.

Allah is not another name for the God we serve.  Though he's not Satan, he is a demon. "The Dictionary of Bible and Religion" by William Gentz by Abingdon Press, has details on this as well as an organization called Good News For The Crescent World (http://www.gnfcw.com).

The storm god of Arabia was actually before Muhammad's time.  Allah was just one of many gods of the day.  The Arabic name "Allah" distinguishes him from "ilah," which could refer to any of their previous dieties.  Muhammad changed his new religion from pantheism to the "one god" concept.  Ironically, that idea may have come from the Judeo-Christian influence of the region, with which Muhammad was not impressed. He used this new religion to attempt to unite the Arabian peninsula because things had, apparently, become quite decadent.  In his day, there were more blood-feuds than anything else. This in-fighting was bad for biz, too!

Note of interest:  "El" is singular in Hebrew for "god" as in "El Shaddai" (God Almighty). "Elohim" is plural.  When referring to YHWH, Elohim takes a singular verb.  When referring to gods, Elohim takes a plural verb.  The first line of the OT is "B'rshit bara Elohim ha-sha-mayim v'ha-aretz," i.e., "In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth."  "Elohim" is plural while "bara" is singluar.  Elohim is one of the most common forms of referring to the One God of Israel rather than "El."  "El" is most often used in combination rather than alone. Got that?

The proof is in the pudding:  We become like the god we worship. Muhammad's people were already warlike - like the god they worshipped (your basic "storm gods" are usually warrior gods). Though he might have talked about a merciful Allah, Muhammad was merciless to his enemies.  

Muhammad did not preach kindness towards anybody, let alone live it.  In the end, he was assassinated by some woman he had angered.  She poisoned him! Reaping and sowing is the way of life.

Muhammad taught that Jesus (Isa) didn't die on the cross nor go to the grave.  He taught that a look-alike died in Jesus' place and that Jesus was taken up to Heaven (lots of Muslims wonder why God took Jesus and NOT Muhammad - good point when witnessing to them).

There is no way to deal with sin in Islam. There is no atonement. It's a balancing act: your good deeds are put on a scale with the bad on the other side.  Which ever is heaviest determines where you spend eternity. However, if you die for Islam, then you go to Heaven and get 4 wives (Strangely, only applies to males - no one really knows what happens to the females. Islamic oppression of women is quite another subject).  

Jesus says "bless your enemies," not "kill them!"  Jesus is not a warrior-God, but a truly merciful God who is more than able to absorb all sin for all time for those who will only believe.  Our choice.

Interestingly, we're suddenly hearing all kinds of talk about "God" and "Prayer" but rarely the "J" word.  No way! The King of Kings that gives some a firm foundation still causes others to stumble.

More personality differences between God and Allah?

  • When God (Elohim) directed a tribal massacre over the Canaanites, though the Israelites failed to eliminate them, He didn't order more slaughter. No! He just told them not to have anything more to do with them! Basically, excise the Canaanites thru attrition.  
  • Also, God (Elohim) frequently forgives and renews His people.
  • Allah, on the other hand, cannot boast of this kind of relationship with anyone.  

Now, compare the actions between YHWH, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (together known as Elohim; the Trinity) vs. Allah and we see that Elohim has nothing in common with Allah other than in making him jealous for what the Lord has with His children and His Bride, the Church!  

Could this be just another reason these psychotic Muslim cults are used by Allah to attack the West? Humanoids are usually motivated by demons of fear and jealousy where hatred is involved.  Demonic entities, tend to operate in team. Cluster groups. They're militaristic, legalistic, strategic, and hierarchical.*

There are now over one BILLION Muslims throughout the earth and growing fast. Only 15% of these are Arabs.

The popular myth perpetrated on the West (and I hear it ALL the time, most notably by a Cardinal on the recent TV news explaining that we Christians, the Jews and the Muslims serve the same God... oy vay!) is that YHWH (Jesus) and Allah are the same.  

Some of this is our own fault for improper teaching of new converts.  The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) has a web site on Islam which states: "Giving a different name to the one God worshiped by the followers of Muhammed erroneously implies that their God is different from the one God worshipped by Jews or Christians."  

Folks, they are not the same!  

They act in very different ways.  Allah has become synonymous in Arabic with El(ohim) in Hebrew over time. However, they really are different beings with completely different natures.  Arabic no longer has other terms for the title "god." These days, Allah is used among Christians and Jews to mean Elohim (not the personal name of God but His divine title, like calling George W. "Mr. President").  

This explains where the Cardinal was coming from.  I imagine it would not be considered Politically Correct (a la Jesus), or I would be considered "intolerant' (Jesus didn't tolerate sin) or a "Muslo-phobic," if I were to tell a Muslim that they worship a false god or a demon and not the one true God.  No, I do NOT recommend that tactless tactic.

The Muslims genuinely believe that they worship Elohim, when, in fact, they do not.  Technically, they are monotheists as we Christians are.  Wrong god, unfortunately. Little "g"  This monotheistic worship is understandably confusing to Christians.  Plus the fact that Muslims trace their physical lineage to Abraham keeps us perplexed as well.

Interesting to note that more English translations of the Qur'an do translate out as plural when Allah refers to himself as "we."  

Personally, I find the book hard to read.  Not because it's hard to understand, but it seems an angry sort of book. I've studied it to find its Christian corrolations as well as to "know my enemy, " the devil, and how he controls these poor misguided folks. There are some nice wisdom pieces every so often... but anyone aware of Satan's schemes knows there will ALWAYS be some element of truth in his deceptions or we wouldn't buy into it.  I'd much rather read from the Jewish wisdom literature of Jesus' day and beyond.

Better yet, I'll bury my nose in the encouragement of Scripture... the Truth of God!

 

(By the way, there are those who appear to be entertaining the "Bubba" spirit of retaliation toward Muslims
in the USA, based upon "profiling." Question: If Tim McVay, bomber of the OKC Fedreal Bldg, were a Baptist,
or any OTHER Protestant denomination, should we have waged war on THAT denomination?
After all, he DID belong to a group called the American Christian Patriots.  Food for thought.)

Following are some pieces from a booklet I wrote on the subject of Islam:

 

ISLAMIC TEACHINGS ABOUT JESUS*

Had the Christian faith remained pure and unadulterated, it might not have only been strong and virile enough to withstand Islam as it swept across sands of the middle east in the 7th century, but it might have had a vital, spiritual impact on the people of Arabia to the extent they would have found faith in Jesus irresistible.

Suras 3:48-49; 5:46; 47:26-27

 

MUHAMMAD IS TO SEEK GUIDANCE FROM THE SCRIPTURES*

Not only are the Jews and Christians assured of the lasting truth of the Scriptures, but the Prophet Muhammad himself was directed to inquire of them.  He is to do this to remove his own doubts as to his message and mission.  

Sura 10:94 reads, "And if thou art in doubt as to what we have sent down (revealed) to thee, inquire of them who have read the Scriptures before thee… ." He went to his wife’s cousin, a Christian.

Muslims are commanded to believe in and obey the Taurat (Torah) and the Injil (Gospels), Sura 3:84.

 

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE WITNESSING*

The demands of a successful witness to the Muslim are rigid and call for a selfless sacrifice on the part of any who would bear that witness faithfully.  Muslim evangelism calls not only for strategy but commitment on the part of dedicated souls, thoroughly grounded in the culture and religion of Islam. Even the most dedicated missionaries have not only faced opposition and suffered persecution, but the threat of demonic backlash is eminent. Committed, fervent prayer and intercessory prayer support are recommended. To bring Muslims to Christ requires a willingness to enter into the deep anguish of Calvary unknown to many who have enjoyed the comfort of the cross and not its burden.

*From my booklet "Understanding Islam: A guide for Preparation for Islamic Evangelism." Please write for details.

 

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